Degenerative myopia is a significant cause of world blindness and visual disability. Degenerative myopia is a major cause of legal blindness in the United States. Overall, blindness most commonly occurs from myopic macular degeneration, retinal detachment, cataract and glaucoma, and of these, myopic macular degeneration is the most important. Degenerative myopia is thought to be due to decompensation of the nerve and supporting tissues of the part of the retina of the eye, the macular, which is used for fine vision. One cause of the damage is the axial overgrowth of the eye during the regular growth phase, followed by further increments of stretching during the adult years. By middle age, stressed eye tissues begin to show degeneration and failure of function; crucially, this includes the delicate nerves of the retina.
Current treatments for high myopia progression include topical daily drops of muscarinic antagonists.